In a boost to Congress fortunes, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has told Ujjain corporator Maya Rajesh Trivedi that she is contemplating to contest Lok Sabha elections from a seat in eastern Uttar Pradesh. She shared her thoughts with the corporator during a formal chat on Facebook on Sunday night. She also assured that Congress would field a strong candidate from Indore too.
The news is likely to boost morale of Congressmen in Uttar Pradesh where the party is struggling to conjure up a pre-poll alliance with Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, even though the latter two have shunned it. “…I am making my mind to contest election from a seat in Eastern UP,” she said during conversation with Congressmen on Facebook. Priyanka Gandhi, who has been appointed party general secretary and incharge of eastern UP for Lok Sabha polls, had earlier ruled out entering the fray.
However, during a conversation with Congress leaders and workers from Madhya Pradesh on Facebook, she dropped hint of entering the fray from a seat in eastern UP. However, it is still confined to contemplation. During the discussion with the Congress general secretary on her Facebook page ‘Priyanka G Vadra’ around 1:30am on Sunday, Ujjain corporator Maya Rajesh Trivedi said, “You should be party’s Lok Sabha candidate from Indore.”
Priyanka replied: “I am not considering contesting election from Madhya Pradesh. However, I am making my mind to fight polls from Eastern UP.” Her decision will give a sigh of relief to Congress leaders and workers who have been constantly demanding that she be fielded in the upcoming election.
Earlier, she also posted a message to party workers on the same page stating that earlier she was unwilling to enter electoral fray but as the country was not passing through dangerous phase, it is incumbent upon her to take up the cudgels. She also mentioned that top institutions of the country including Reserve Bank of India, Central Bureau of Investigation and the Apex Court are on the verge of being destroyed.
Indore to get strong candidate: Gandhi
Amid discussion over Congress candidate from Indore, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in reply to state spokesperson Amitabh Singhal query, said that Indore is important for the party. She also told workers not to worry as the party would field a strong candidate from the seat.
Three major seats
Gorakhpur: The seat is considered as UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s stronghold. He has never lost from here. However, in the bypoll that was called after he quit Lok Sabha to become CM, Yogi failed to ensure victory of party candidate. As head of Gorkhdhaam mutt, he commands a huge following in the area. Priyanka’s victory from this seat will be a huge face loss for Yogi and the BJP.
Sultanpur: The seat is currently represented by Varun Gandhi of the BJP. The seat is associated with former PM Indira Gandhi. As per the rumours, Maneka Gandhi is planning to vacate Pilibhit seat for Varun. She is likely to contest from Haryana. With Varun shifting to Pilibhit, Sultanpur could be a safe seat for Priyanka.
Prayagraj: It is one of the most important seats in Uttar Pradesh. At present, BJPs Shyama Charan Gupta is the Member of Parliament from this seat. In the past, the seat has been represented by Samajwadi Party’s Reoti Raman Singh and BJP’s MM Joshi. Fielding Priyanka from Prayagraj could upset political equations of opposition parties. Apprehending ticket denial by BJP, current MP SC Gupta has shifted allegiance to SP. Akhilesh Yadav has been quick to announce that the party would field him from Banda.